Around Us

By the PDH

Published 6:00 pm, Wednesday, November 18, 2009

LEVELLAND — Despite the national meager economic outlook, Levelland is on the right track for big business.

After voting unanimously just over one year ago to commit $1.5 million to build an Industrial Rail Park in the 12,866 population town, the Levelland Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC) vision has begun to be realized.

While dirt work begins in early November, the entire rail portion is expected to be completed by end of March 2010. And, this is just the start of phase 1 — which will cost $4.5 million including the EDC’s $1.5 million approved just over a year ago.

Additional funding for the $8.6 million project, granted just this year from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

In coordinated efforts, utility companies also will make way for Railroad Specialties, Inc., out of Littleton Colorado to install more than 21,000 track feet of 134# rail and concrete crossties that will create the rail infrastructure of the LIRP. Aside from the rail line, the project also will include the addition of water, sewer and street improvements.

Upon completion, the LIRP will have 18 total tracts, ranging in size from two to 20 acres. Each tract, Dave Quinn, executive director of Levelland’s economic development, explained, will have direct access to the rail line.

LUBBOCK — Kayla Smith sobbed as her brother was escorted back to jail for choking her son, even though a jury on Wednesday gave him probation.

She said it was time for her family to start the healing process, but now they might go through a second trial.

Allan Shepherd pleaded guilty Monday to choking and seriously injuring his nephew in November 2007 and elected to have a jury decide his punishment.

A second count of the indictment claims he choked Smith. Prosecutors said they now want to try him on those charges.

After more than three hours of deliberation, the jury sentenced Shepherd to 10 years probation and a $5,000 fine.

Shepherd faced anywhere from five years to life in prison because of the seriousness of domestic-violence related assaults.

As soon as 140th District Judge Jim Bob Darnell read the verdict, Deputy District Attorney Sunshine Stanek announced the state intends to try Shepherd for choking Smith.

Stanek said she could not discuss why they opted to try Shepherd on the second count because office policy prohibits speaking about a case which could still go before a judge or jury.

During the three-day punishment phase, prosecutors and Shepherd’s attorneys presented their entire cases, including evidence that Shepherd also choked Smith.

Smith said she and her family asked the Criminal District Attorney’s Office to keep Shepherd out of prison.

Laurie Key, one of Shepherd’s attorneys, said because this was Shepherd’s first offense and because he has no history of assault they opted to let a jury determine what they thought was the appropriate punishment. — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

AMARILLO — Nearly 2,000 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine made available for free Wednesday ran out before the day was over, but state health officials said private providers will have thousands more for those who need it.

The Department of State Health Services said private health care providers in Potter and Randall counties should receive slightly less than 30,000 vaccines for the illness commonly called swine flu.

Department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said many are administering the vaccine to their own high-risk patients, such as pregnant women and health care workers. The state isn’t publicizing who has the vaccine or how many doses they have.

The Amarillo Public Health Department used its 1,900 doses to vaccinate about 2,150 people at the Amarillo Civic Center. Some of the doses were split in half for small children.

Local health departments around the state, including Amarillo, expect to receive more H1N1 vaccine, which is in short supply nationally as companies rushed to produced the vaccine on short notice. Those local departments stand to receive about 20 percent of the state’s total supply of about 3 million doses. — Amarillo Globe-News